Can-opener.



N. SIMMONS.

CAN OPENER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1909.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

- fizz/207a:

NOAH SIMMONS, or N'EosHo, MISSOURI.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. A11 9, 1910.

Application filed July 24, 1909. Serial No. 509,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NOAH SiMMoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neosho, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Can- Opener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to can-openers and has for an object to provide a device of this character which will remove the cover from a can by cutting around the side walls of the can adjacent the top edges thereof.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which will be adjustable to any size or shape of can.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will have an extensible pivot arm having an expanded shank portion constituting a thumb-rest for the thumb of the operators hand to bear against when applying pressure to the pivot arm.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, my invention embraces the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specification and set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can-opener constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the handle of the can-opener. Fig. 1 is a detail View of the cutting member. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the extensible pivot arm.

In a more detailed description of my in-' vention in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the views shown, 1 designates the handle of a can-opener having an oblong rabbet 2 formed longitudinally therein. The rabbet extends from the front flat face 3 of the handle in a rearward direction and terminates in a flat rear wall 4 adjacent the end of the handle.

Slidingly fitted in the hollow handle is a pivot arm 5 substantially rectangular in cross section and having at its outer end an expanded head 6 provided with a keeper 7 projecting downwardly in a plane at right angles tothe plane of the pivot arm and terminating in a finger 8- extending .forwardly in a plane parallel with the side of the handle. The finger 8 is adapted toengage the under surface of a can-cover and prevent the accidental disengagement of the keeper therefrom. The finger 8 terminates in a sharp pointed end 9 adapted to penetrate a can cover at approximately its center and form an opening suflicient to permit the keeper to be engaged in operative position.

The shank of the pivot armis expanded to provide a thumb rest 10 against which the thumb may be placed when operating the device and which provides a comfortable support or. grip to facilitate the easy and efiective manipulation of the device.

The inner end of the extensible pivot arm terminates in a stop shoulder 11 for engage ment with the inner end of the cutting member 12, whereby to limit the outward movement of the arm and prevent the same from being accidentally disengaged from the hol low handle.

The cutter blade 12 is secured at one end in the rabbet of the handle, the secured end 13 being preferably thickened to provide a stop or shoulder for contact with the stop shoulder of the extensible pivot arm. The cutter blade is offset downwardly intermediate the ends to position the outer end 14: of the cutter blade in a plane with one side of the handle and parallel with the shank of the pivot arm. The outer portion 14 of the cutter blade is substantially triangular in facial contour and is provided with oppositely arranged cutting edges 15 and 16 so that the cutter may be used by either a right or left handed person.

Formed within the thickened end of the cutter blade isa screw threaded opening 17 to engage the threaded end of a screw 18 carried by one of the handle sections. The screw 18 is adapted to engage the threaded opening of the cutting member without projecting from the opening so as to lmpede the movement of the sliding extension arm.

It is evident that a can-opener of this kind may be adjusted to operative position on a can of any size as the extension arm may he slid forward in thehollow handle into engagement with the center of a can so that the cutting edge of the cutter blade 7 of the side Walls of the can, a circular out being formed, Which Will eiiectively sever the top from the can.

From the foregoing description taken in connection With the accompanying drawing, it is thought that the construction and 0 eration of my invention Will be easily un erstood Without a more extended explanation, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made Without sacrificing any of the advantages or departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is A can opener consisting of a hollow handle, a flat cutting blade bearing against the end of the handle and having its upper end turned into the bore of the handle and secured upon the bottom of said bore, and a pivot arm slidably mounted in the bore of the handle over the blade and fitting closely against the top and sides of the bore, the lower side of the arm resting on the inturned end of the blade and provided at its inner end With a depending shoulder adapted to engage the said inturned end of the blade.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

NOAH SIMMONS. 

